Wading Through the Shadows
by Pororing
Summary: For years, Giratina and Arceus have been at war with each other. But why? After reluctantly agreeing to become an exploration team with an excitable Gligar, a pacifist is about to discover its dark origins in an attempt to stop this eternal war.
1. Into the Fray

**A/N: Yes, yes, I know the whole Pokémon at war thing is overdone to death (maybe…) but I will try to the best of my ability to make this work. Let's hope I'll keep updating this too since I have another fanfic in the works…but anyway, enjoy my little story! Hope you guys like it!**

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><p><em>Wading Through the Shadows<em>

**Into the Fray**

{_How many times…did we lose someone close to us due to meaningless warfare…?_}

_The battlefield was covered with Pokémon with their claws sharpened, and fangs bared. Most of these Pokémon would fight to the best of their ability to fend off their opponent, yet they would all end up dead after a few hours or so with a fatal attack. Then whoever the victor of the fight was would just move on to the next Pokémon and so on, until somebody either retreats or kills off a Pokémon who was integral to the other side. A few other Pokémon stood on a hill overlooking the battlefield, unscathed. Each looked on into the war, eagerly anticipating…something. A turnaround in their favor, perhaps. "This is disgusting." A Manectric snapped. "I'd rather fight out there than stand around being a coward!"_

"_Your demeanor regarding to this war is appeasing, Lionel." A Golduck replied. "Yet you're one of our more valuable soldiers, we can't afford to lose you."_

"_Forget about this mess!" A Jolteon piped up. "I say we just send in the troops!"_

"_Be patient, Swift." The Golduck hissed. "Look; I already see someone coming towards us."_

_A Pidgeot slowly descended towards the group, armed with a few bruises that probably came from some of the skyward attacks it had to bear on the flight towards the hill. "Greetings, Miven." It said to the Golduck. "I bring news from Giratina himself."_

"_Exactly what I was expecting." Miven replied. "What are his orders?"_

"_Giratina has said to withdraw all the troops."_

"_What!" Lionel cried. "Did he go nuts!"_

"_No, he did not." The Pidgeot said solemnly. "It was a hard decision for him too. Arceus has gathered too much power. If we continue, we could lose hundreds, perhaps thousands of soldiers. It will take us too many days to replace that many lost soldiers."_

_Miven sighed. It was true, Arceus was far more powerful than Giratina…and he _is_ the one who created the Pokémon in the first place. He had their trust, and he compared to Giratina, he could easily recruit far more Pokémon than Giratina can in a single day. "Fine." The Golduck finally said after a minute of silence. "Call them all back, Swift."_

"_No! I won't!" Swift bellowed. "Even if that damned Arceus can control fate to his own will, we will not fall! Do you hear me!"_

"_Swift! It's-"_

"_It's absolutely necessary that we stay! I will not be a coward and withdraw from this fight! There is nothing you can do for me to change my mind!"_

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><p>The Wild Meadow was streaked with blood, and the rancid scent of it had stained the plains. The wild Pokémon that lived around these parts had migrated away due to the recent war, and some became fresh corpses due to the fact they were killed in the battle. A Togekiss soared around the Wild Meadow for awhile, disgusted in the many lives that were lost in that recent battle; Arceus won that one due to a General's stubbornness, or that's what the Togekiss had heard about. He didn't even care much for the stuff of war; he hated it with a passion. Yet with the recent war going on with the omnipotent Arceus and the all-powerful Giratina, it was hard to remain a pacifist and resist the temptation to fight.<p>

The Togekiss found that the war was quite stupid and unneeded, but maybe that's because nobody was really sure how the war started. Pokémon claiming to be in the blood of Arceus or Giratina came to various towns and informed them of how the duo would go into war, and that whoever should join them would be granted a place among legends as a coveted champion who fought valiantly in the name of the champion. Perhaps some, or even most, would find this as a tempting offer, and being unable to resist the lure of fame, and rewards, would simply join in the war.

A place where war is ravaging the lands, and greed tainting the hearts of many as a result…it was no place for a Togekiss. This was the main reason why he had to leave.

The Togekiss gave one last glance towards the Wild Meadow, before he finally flew off. His wings ached due to the fact he had spent most of his time in flight, yet he remained persistent on the method of flight. If he should walk, then hostile Pokémon would be able to rip him to shreds, since he didn't really know much about battling. Yet his wings ached even more each minute the Togekiss kept pushing himself to fly, to the point they felt like they were going to fall off. He was only a few miles from the Wild Meadow until his wings finally gave out.

The Pokémon slowly made his way to land, able to reach the ground gracefully despite his aching pair of wings taking control over his body. The landscape that the Togekiss landed upon had a spooky air to it; the sun was mostly blocked out by tall branches that seemed to reach out to the sky, making it so that only a few patches of sunlight could light up the darkened clearing. A thin, cold mist hung about in the air, making the Togekiss shiver. The clearing was mostly made up of bare trees that made it much harder to find a way out of this strange, twisted forest. Even in such a darkened place, the Togekiss found the heart to brave his way through the trees and find a way out.

"Hey look guysssssssss! A Pokémon!"

The Togekiss flinched. Exactly what he feared.

"A Pokémon!"

This wasn't going to end well is it? The Togekiss thought.

"Aw, ssssssssweet! A Pokémon!"

The clearing suddenly sprang to life with various Pokémon coming about, forming a small pack that seemed to be mostly made up of Ekans. The little purple snakes looked at the Togekiss in awe as if he was some sort of deity, and seemed much more contented when they found out about his species. The pack started up a chatter of sorts, filling up the silent forest, and some tried to lunge towards him in a fake manner, in a lousy attempt to entertain themselves. "The Bossssssss issssss coming!" A voice shrieked. "The Bossssss issssss coming!"

Then, the air was now made up of the same phrase repeating itself over and over again with different voices. When the Ekans finally formed into straight lines like soldiers, the eerie silence that the Togekiss anticipated took over the woodland once more. Suddenly, the Ekans started jumping and singing about as a Scyther came to view. It had a blank expression on its face as it began to walk over to the Togekiss calmly. To the Scyther, nothing frightened him, especially with that kind of stance. All the Scyther had to do was lift up a blade, for the Ekans to silence their ruckus. "A Scyther leading a pack of ragtag Ekans?" The Togekiss jeered.

"You have no idea what a fight for leadership does to these guys." The Scyther said. "The name's Sclint. You sure have some guts to trespass in our territory."

"_Your territory?_" The Togekiss asked, wide-eyed. "You don't seem to be king around these parts. More like a smug Pokémon who hides under a calm impression."

"Don't insssult our Bossss!" An Ekans cried out. The rest of the pack joined in, howling, jeering, and booing like a feisty crowd, before they were silenced again by Sclint.

"If you want a way out, then you gotta pass me first." Sclint declared. "Only _I _get to decide who goes in and who comes out. Unless, of course, you're a scaredy cat, seeing that you're a Togekiss."

The Togekiss grinned and unfolded his wings. Maddening pain continued to course through them, but he found that if he was able to endure a long flight into this weird forest, he should be able to endure a few beatings from someone like Sclint. The Scyther screamed out, dashing towards the Togekiss like a madman, yet his target flew up in the air, causing Sclint to hit a tree with his blades instead. By then, the starting attack had already sent the Ekans pack into a wild frenzy once more.

Despite the pain, the Togekiss folded his wings, giving him a rocket-like formation, and flew towards Sclint, coating him in a white aura. Sclint formed an X-shape with his two blades, giving them a glow of light blue. The two attacks collided, each Pokémon glaring at the other, hoping that one would give up before they could. Once again, the Togekiss felt the same pain that overtook his wings awhile ago, this time, the pain had also overtook his body. Sclint seemed to notice this, a slight smirk forming upon his face with the notice of the pain.

Yet he can't give up.

"Just give in!" Sclint cried out. "You know you can't beat me!"

This wasn't even a war. He wouldn't die in glory or any of the sorts.

The Ekans chanted Sclint's same words, with each chant becoming much more high-pitched with each passing minute.

The Togekiss let loose a piercing scream that shocked the Scyther and the chanting pack. As the pain worsened, the Togekiss found his strength increasing. With each thought of Pokémon dying because of worthless causes, his strength increased. Having cornered Sclint, the Togekiss opened up his mouth, slowly charging a small, turquoise orb. Yet a meek voice whispered through the wind, pierced his ears, and shocked him. _"Have mercy…" _Sclint rasped.

This smug Pokémon…no, perhaps there is some kind of reason why Sclint didn't use his full power. The Togekiss shouldn't judge Pokémon by means of their display of power…only weaklings did that. The orb slowly disappeared, and he backed away a few inches at the Scyther, allowing himself to become one with the silence that both the forest and the Ekans emanated. _"A name…" _Sclint panted. _"I demand…a name."_

A name. The Togekiss certainly didn't think one for himself. He never thought he would come to the point to ask him for a name. Yet what harm did a name even have?

"A name…I guess you can call me…Kiren." The Togekiss replied.

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><p><strong>AN: End of cheepter, guys. How did I do? Tell me in the reviews so I can improve! I will see you guys in the next cheepter! Bye!**


	2. That Scheming Gligar!

**A/N: 'Ello, welcome to the newest chapter! Yes yes, it seems I made a grammar mistake concerning the dialogue (I'm still in middle school, and I've written many stories that way but none of my teachers seemed to care) so I will try to correct it this time. Shall we continue with my fic? And hope it won't banish to the depths of the archive? Let's begin!**

_Wading Through the Shadows_

**That Scheming Gligar!**

{_Every time I battle…my heart would shake at the lives I take…_}

"No fair! No fair!" An Ekans chirped. "That's a rip-off! We demand a rematch!" The rest of the Ekans agreed, and chirped out various words from the sentence. They jumped and attempted to nip at Kiren, in a poor attempt to coax him into battling once more.

Sclint seemed rather agitated by the pack, yet somehow, he kept that calm composure of his intact as he held up one blade, silencing the pack. No wonder the Ekans trust him so much, even if the Scyther's calm looks are merely a farce. "Not far from here lies a town called Treasure Town." He said, in a weirdly respectful tone. "You should be able to get there before dusk. You don't fight badly for a Togekiss."

"Every fight I participate in feels like a sin." Kiren rasped.

"You're in warring times now, kid," Sclint replied. "If you remain peaceful, you're gonna die."

"Then I'd rather die if that's the case." Kiren retorted.

The Scyther simply shook his head. It was of no use to try and convince someone as stubborn as Kiren to change his beliefs, especially since the Pokémon was a pacifist through and through. "Whenever you get over that dilemma of yours, I'd like a rematch." Sclint said. The tone of his voice made it sound more of a demand than a statement.

However, Kiren just quietly ignored the Scyther's proposal. He shuffled his way through the Ekans pack, who were still eyeing him with doubt, and past the Scyther, who just stood there like a statue. Treasure Town. Kiren heard before that Treasure Town was a widely famous place despite being so small, mostly because of how it was home to the world-famous Wigglytuff's Guild; a group that specialized in making normal Pokémon into phenomenal explorers. Lately, the Guild suffered a decline mostly attributed to the fact that a war was brewing up, something that was unaccounted for. Yet Kiren wasn't in it for the Guild anyway, he just wanted a place free from blood, warfare, and strife.

The pain from endless flight, coupled with the fact that he had to…fight, rendered Kiren's wings numb. He figured that if he should walk fast, he would be able to reach Treasure Town before dusk, just like what Sclint had told him. Without saying a single word, Kiren began to make his way through the strange forest, not without the feeling that the Ekans led by the faker that called himself Sclint, still watched over him with suspicious eyes, and seemed ready to pounce at any given second.

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><p>"AND STAY OUT!" Chatot screamed.<p>

Fang found himself scurrying for his life through the ladders of the Guild, with a fuming Chatot hot on his trail. Now, Fang found himself out of the Guild, as he had unconsciously took the ladder connecting the Guild to the entrance. Chatot stood there, panting and glowering at him. "Don't be such an angry bird, Chatot." The Gligar said through each gulp of air he took.

"I have every right to be an angry bird!" Chatot squawked. "Do you have any idea what you did these past days ever since the Guildmaster accepted you into the Guild!"

Fang remained silent. He remembered odd bits of sentry duty alongside Diglett, as well as various mornings in which Loudred stormed in his room happily to blurt out a greeting or to remind him how he overslept again.

"That's what I thought, you slacker!" Chatot hissed. "You're lucky I'm not Wigglytuff or else I would have kicked you out!"

"You just told me to stay out!" Fang spat. "What do you want me to do!"

"I want you to go out there and find another willing Pokémon, and form an exploration team! Or else I. Will. Kill. You."

Before Fang had a chance to retort, Chatot had already banished, as if the wind had took him. Chatot sure was a prick. Nobody needed to wonder twice about why everybody loathes the bird's very guts, yet most of the Guild's members do wonder why Wigglytuff chose someone with the likes of Chatot to be his right-hand man. With a shrug, Fang left the Guild and headed towards the Town Square. He wanted to be an explorer, so he mind as well get off his lazy butt and find a Partner.

On the day Fang came to Treasure Town, there was a surplus of new Pokémon lining up to become an exploration team, yet now they have slowly dwindled, due to the fact most of them had left for the battlefield, to risk their lives for either Arceus or Giratina. When the Guild started experiencing such a decline, Fang had secretly wished to join the battlefield, but his ties with Wigglytuff prevented him from ever joining the fray. Whenever he tried to bring up the subject of the war, he was scolded into silence by Chatot. Yet Fang remembered that one day…

"_Eeek, you shouldn't talk about war behind Chatot's back!" Sunflora said. "It upsets the Guildmaster!"_

"_Why? You guys don't like the allure of glory?" The Gligar asked, shocked._

"_By golly, Fang, we don't all think like you," Bidoof replied. "Most of us would rather have a peaceful life, that's all."_

_Great. Just great. Everybody seemed like a Chatot, even without the Pokémon hanging around to ruin Fang's day. What else was there to talk about, anyway? They could endlessly chat about mythical loot that would probably be never found because of it getting destroyed in the war, or the thrill of adventure. Those two things were lame to Fang. It wouldn't be lame if it was, say, four years ago, when exploration was at its height. The Gligar thought how it was funny that a single war could change everything._

"_Hey, Fang!"_

_Fang froze in his tracks. He turned around, and saw a Salamence slowly float over to him. The Salamence was a new addition, having come in the Guild a few weeks ago. His name was Ragune, the Gligar believed. Ragune was an especially interesting case for Fang, because of two things. First, he was pint-sized. He had a tiny winged body, but a rather huge head. Second, his left eye? It was dyed in crimson. He refused to tell anybody exactly why it was that way, but he reportedly told them that it was a fatal accident. Yet Reagune tried his best to conceal himself from public view, and when he opened up, there would usually a myriad of questions. Yet Fang found it within him to trust Ragune, perhaps it was because he was cool according to the Gligar. "Hi there, Ragune." Fang greeted. "What do you want?"_

"_Oh, nothing much." Ragune replied. "You heard about the recent news?"_

"_The war?" Fang asked him._

"_Yup, that's the one."_

"_Well, what about it?"_

"_I'm leaving this Guild to join in the war."_

_A look of shock and delight plastered itself on Fang's face. "Really! How?" He asked in a highly interested tone. "You can't do that unless you get in hot water with Chatot or the Guildmaster!"_

"_I know that." Ragune replied haughtily. "That's why Chatot didn't really announce anything to the Guild. He seemed pretty steamed when I told him about my resignation. But that's not why I'm here to talk to you. I'm here because you seem to be the only one to trust me…and that's enough for me to give you a little treasure of mine."_

_Fang's face sparked with glee at the words. His mind repeatedly danced on the fact that he could actually be trusted to keep a sacred treasure of sorts, despite everybody's protests of him being nothing more than a fame-seeking slacker. Fang began to think even more of what the treasure is; perhaps some ancient rune? A key to an ancient civilization that held all sorts of riches? Suddenly, that face of glee and hope diminished to nothing more than a disappointed gaze when Ragune presented him the so-called treasure; a rusty map. "A map!" The Gligar said irritably. "I don't need a map!"_

"_No wonder everybody calls you a slacker," Ragune hissed. "Anyway, forget I said that. I want you to look at this map."_

_Fang glanced at the map. It was covered in charred black, as if it was burned in a fire and barely survived. He could see some drawings that seemed to be mountains, or perhaps some other landmark. "I can barely see anything!" He protested._

"_Here's a little tidbit that can get you off of Chatot's back for a while," The Salamence growled. "Form an exploration team."_

"_I beg your pardon?" Fang said, bewildered. "Exploration teams barely exist anymore! Most Pokémon went off to join the war!"_

"_I heard from the Guildmaster you joined this Guild to become an explorer…but you fell into obscurity because of your slacking," Ragune replied. "This can save you. This map is the path to a great, coveted treasure. I could never really get to the treasure myself, since it was too hard."_

"_Treasure…?" Fang asked Ragune, his interest sparked once more. "What kind of treasure is it?"_

"_I can't exactly describe it. Nobody exactly had a chance to see the treasure for themselves because nobody was able to find it. Only those with the upmost determination can find it. I think you have that exact kind of zeal."_

That was the last of what Ragune told Fang about the treasure before he left. An indescribable treasure…how exciting was that? Fang was pretty sure that such treasure would earn him a sky-high reputation across the world. He closed his eyes, and then looked up to the sky. His mind began to picture the thought of him being a famous explorer; he would be Fang the Determined One, the explorer that overcame vicious waters, sparred against the legends, and scoured the vastest of lands in search of this nameless treasure, the treasure that could shake the world of exploring like an earthquake! What a name would that be! Not to mention the profit he would make...

_Thud!_

Fang was snapped back to his dreadful reality, finding himself knocked down to the floor. "I'm so sorry!" The figure in front of him said. It seemed to be a Togekiss, yet instead of that eternal smile that all Togekiss were supposed to be famous for; this Togekiss had a strange frown on its face, yet still managed to sound worried just like all other Togekiss did.

"Ah, no harm done there." Fang chuckled. "I should probably blame myself."

"No, it's entirely my fault." The Togekiss insisted. "I was too speedy. It's been a long time since I last saw civilization you see…"

Oh, that was right. All Togekiss were known to migrate away from lands full of strife. Yet didn't Togekiss also bring blessings, too? Perhaps this Pokémon…perhaps fate decided to lighten up on Fang by giving him this Togekiss to aid him in his quest for fame! "You look like a foreigner around these parts," Fang said immediately. "Came to be an explorer? After all, this _is _home to the world-famous Wigglytuff's Guild."

"Not a fan of exploration." The Togekiss replied. His answer was awfully short and quite blunt.

"Ah, I see," Fang sighed. "Yet you look like you do a lot of traveling and such. Perhaps you can do a small favor for me?"

"What would that be?" The Togekiss questioned.

"I'm an aspiring explorer, and I recently got a hold of a rather strange map," Fang told him in the most innocuous voice possible. "Nobody seemed to be able to decipher what it exactly says. Perhaps _you _can try?"

"Well, I certainly read a lot of maps, so I suppose I can try at it."

"Absolutely wonderful! Er…I don't quite like calling you a Togekiss all the time. Do you have a name?"

"That would be Kiren. What's yours?"

"Fang. A nice name for a Gligar, yes?"

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><p>The eccentric Gligar made his home at Wigglytuff's Guild, much to Kiren's dismay. While the Guild housed quite a lot of Pokémon, none of them seemed to notice Kiren walk by, as they were either chatting to themselves merrily or had their attention on something else. Fang didn't seem quite concerned either, since there was quite a large grin on his face as he eagerly escorted Kiren throughout the Guild, until they reached a corridor that branched off into three forks; one on the left, the right, and the front of them. The Gligar hopped on to the front, continuing until they reached a small chamber whose wall was embroidered with vines, as well as a small window that gave light to the room.<p>

Fang approached the nest on the middle, which seemed to function as a makeshift bed. He then pulled out a map that had the strange color of charred black. "Did this map get burned?" Kiren asked.

"I'm not quite sure either." Fang admitted. "A close friend gave it to me under this condition."

"Not quite a good friend, is he?" Kiren said in an amused tone. The Gligar rolled out the map, revealing visible lines of white that seemed to be drawings. "Mind telling me why you scratched this map's surface?" He asked.

"Is it wrong to try?" Fang hissed.

The Togekiss shrugged. The scratches seemed to only worsen the map, and seemed quite haphazard, forming strange figures that seemed to be of mountain ranges and rivers. Yet this charred scroll paled in comparison to the many other maps Kiren had to use to aid him in his journey from strife. Kiren inspected the map much more closely, and much to his bewilderment, the scratches didn't seem to worsen the map at all; it revealed some lines, and a vague color of brown beneath the surface. With a satisfied grin, Kiren began using the tip of his wing to scratch out black covering. "Wait, stop! Stop!" Fang cried. "You're going to break the map!"

"I would say that the map was dipped in some kind of black substance and left to dry off." Kiren retorted. A few more minutes seemed to pass as he continued to laboriously scratch off the covering, revealing more and more of what was beneath it. As he worked, Kiren couldn't help but think to himself; why _exactly _is he helping this strange Gligar? Sometimes, he loathed being a Togekiss, it seemed like it was in their blood to help out Pokémon who have clearly shown themselves to be vicious ruffians. With a sigh, Kiren let the thought slowly drift away; there were a lot more other things to worry about than a simple trait of one's species.

"Fang! Fang, where are you!"

The Gligar's ears perked up. "Dear Arceus, it's Bidoof!" He grumbled. Fang swiftly turned around to Kiren with a look of intense worry. "That Pokémon's a bit on the gullible side, so it's no big whoop." He assured. With an exasperated sigh, Fang dashed out of his chambers, leaving Kiren alone, with a left wing whose tip was dirtied by the continuous scraping. Yet despite his best efforts, the Togekiss couldn't help but eavesdrop; after all, even if he was a peace-loving Togekiss, it wouldn't hurt anybody if he was to eavesdrop on just one conversation, would it?

"By golly…!"

"Would you be quiet, Bidoof!"

"Gee, I'm sorry, but Ragune's coming!"

"What!"

The rest of the conversation dulled into hurried whispers, with Fang seeming to be the most horrified, yet intrigued tone compared to the Bidoof's timid whispers. Then, Fang stormed into the chamber, with that same idiotic grin on his face. "It looks to me as you're done with the map." He said.

Kiren nodded. With the strange covering gone, the map seemed to carry a much more ancient feel, with drawings of several landmarks made intricately, with each detail being fundamental into discovering its true origins. "Well, I don't see any reason in staying here," Kiren piped up. "I will be taking my leave now."

"Wait!" Fang cried. Then, he rushed hurriedly to block Kiren's path. "Can you stay for a bit! I kind of need a bit more of your help…"

"Are you just abusing my good nature now?" Kiren questioned.

"No, not at all!" Fang answered. "You see, the map's true owner will come down for a visit tomorrow, and-"

"Those must be lies," Kiren interrupted. "I heard from the Bidoof you're already in hot water for being an overall slacker."

Fang's eyes widened with fury. At first, he seemed like he wanted to retaliate against Kiren, waving around his pincers in a spastic movement, and forming strange sounds, but then he simply sighed. "Just help me, please!" He blurted out. "I don't think you have a place to stay anyway! Don't you want to be part of an exploration team? The fame, the fortune, making it big time!"

How exactly can one make it to the big time anyway? The world was drenched in war, but this Gligar seemed to have already drowned himself in his dreams to even _think _about the war. Yet how bad could it be? Fang seemed to be a nice guy, despite his glaring flaws, and the Guild seemed to host a colorful bunch of Pokémon, and they didn't seem too interested in taking up arms, either. Besides, Kiren figured he might avoid much more fights if he was to stay in one place than roam around. "What about the map?" He suddenly asked. "You said its true owner was coming to pick it up."

"Oh, that's no lie!" Fang said. "The owner is a friend of mine, a nice Salamence named Ragune…"

Fang seemed quite desperate, with his body shaking, a nervous grin, and a pair of eyes that seemed to channel outright mercy. Kiren simply shrugged. "Well fine, I'll stay," He said. "Just remember, I despise every bit of your plan. Once you're out of your whole mess, I will bid farewell to you."

"Yeah, that's A-OK to me!" Fang cried out in a delighted tone. "Nice to see you've warmed up to it, Kiren!"

"I didn't _say _nor _imply _I warmed up to it."

"Don't be such a downer!"

"I have every right to be one."

**A/N: There you have it folks, the end of the second chapter and the official start of the series. Yes, there is a chibi Salamence, no, he won't hog the spotlight. Please leave a review!**


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